Enginerve : Bikes

10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain…a 100% reason to remember the name

  • The Mt. Hood Cycling Classic, a major, multi-stage road race that draws top professional athletes from all over the country, is set to return to Portland in 2010.

    The six-stage race will begin with a prologue on June 1st at Portland International Raceway in north Portland. The following day, the race moves to Mt. Tabor Park in Southeast Portland for a “lung and leg busting” circuit race.

    After Portland, the race travels into Washington and then out to the Columbia River Gorge and then ends with two stages in and around Hood River.

    Race director Chad Sperry also announced that Portland-based Indie Hops is the event’s new title sponsor. The company, who grows and supplies the craft beer industry with Oregon-grown hops, is owned by Roger Worthington, a bike racing fan who competed (and won the Masters Division) in the event in 2009.

    In a press release, Worthington said, “It’s a perfect fit. We think a well-hopped beer should be a vital part of every athlete’s training table.”

    Sperry says that thanks to Indie Hops, he plans to “build a rock concert atmosphere” at the Mt. Tabor and downtown Hood River stages. “Picture high speed action on the course with vigorous debate by beer lovers on the sidelines over which IPA, Stout or Red has the best flavor and aroma.”

    In 2008, the opening prologue (which took place on Naito Parkway) and Mt. Tabor circuit race stages drew large and enthusiastic crowds and it’s great to see the race return to Portland in 2010.

  • Sam Hillborne
    Sam Hillborne from Rivendell Bikes
  • Kevin Kelly of Cool Tools suggests Shaolin-style barefoot shoes instead of Five Fingers, read why below.  Better yet, ignore this repost and read Cool Tools, that is a great blog!

    Feiyue

    feiyue-shoes-sm.jpg

    From KK

    Why do I prefer Feiyue to thepreviously reviewed Vibram FiveFingers shoes? Price is half of the benefit. Another 30% of the benefit is that they don’t look like Vibrams. You can wear them around and not get stared at. There are other barefoot-style shoes, such as Terra Plana, that look good but they are still expensive as sin. The final 20% of the benefit is in durability. I generally wear a pair of Feiyue from autumn to summer and then go through another pair in the summer when I walk everywhere—on concrete in Chicago. The soles aren’t exactly thin, but they allow you to feel a lot more without getting jabbed all the time. I have walked on railroad ballast with these and it’s not the most pleasant experience but certainly better than barefoot, and nimbler than with heavy boots.

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  • From a Facebook post by Darren Alff (see notes at the end).  For those not on Facebook.

    Packing for a bicycle tour is one thing. Preparing your body and mind for life on the road is another. In this article I address how you can 1) get in shape and 2) mentally prepare for a long-distance bike tour.

    Get In Shape — Ride Your Bike
    Bicycle touring can be a workout…and you need to be physically prepared. Before you even step on your bike, you need to assess your personal level of fitness. Some people have never ridden a bicycle before. Others are experienced cyclists with thousands of miles under their belts. Most of us are somewhere in between. If you are an experienced rider in good physical shape, you can likely skip this step. But if you are new to cycling or know that you are not in as good a shape as you should be, then please keep reading.

    It is important that you see a doctor before heading out on a bike tour, and before beginning a training regiment. Once you’ve been given the go-ahead to start training for your trip, jump on your bike and start riding. It’s important to ride your bike as much as you possibly can! The goal to 1) get in shape and 2) feel comfortable, safe, and in control of your bicycle. Working out at the gym, improving your cardiovascular workouts, and eating healthy foods can also play a part in preparing for a long-distance bike tour. But while working out at the gym is good, riding a bike for long distances is even better. You know you’re ready to depart on your bike tour when you can ride at least 20-30 miles without feeling any extreme discomfort.

    Become A Strongman — Add Some Weight
    Once you’ve become comfortable riding your bike, start adding some weight. Add a couple panniers to your bicycle or start pulling a trailer. As your departure date nears, start riding your bike with more and more weight added.

    Riding a bicycle with no weight on it is completely different than riding a bike weighted down with 30-60 pounds of additional gear, especially if you plan to ride with front panniers, which drastically affects the way your bike handles.

    Riding with a weighted bike while close to home will help to ensure your safety on the road once you start your tour and it will get your body in shape — as carrying that weight on your bike does require some extra muscles.

    Understand Your Gear — Practice Packing Your Panniers/Trailer
    Experienced bicycle travelers will pack and unpack their bikes several times before they leave on tour… and I recommend you do the same. This packing and unpacking process will help you understand what items you REALLY need for your trip. It will also allow you to practice distributing the weight of your gear evenly across your bike and placing your personal items back in the same place each and every time you pack your bike.

    Know What It’s Like — Live Off Your Bike
    As your tour grows closer, start living your life as though you are already on your bike tour. Pack up your bike completely and start living off of it. Start sleeping in your sleeping bag; bathe with the same toiletry kit you’ll be using on your tour; wear the same clothes you’ll be traveling in; and go on bike rides on a daily basis — even if it means riding to and from work. Do this for a few days (or even a few weeks) and you’ll get a taste of what it’s really like to be on tour.

    Toughen Up — Sleep On The Ground
    If you are really into the preparation process and you plan on camping while on your tour, try sleeping on the ground (or even outside) for several nights before you leave on your trip. Camping is a very hard thing for some people to adjust to. But if you can get used to the camping process before you leave on your tour, you will be that much more comfortable once you hit the road.

    So, there it is! Five things you can do right now to start preparing for your upcoming bike tour.

    What else would you add to the list? How are you preparing for your next bike tour? What questions do you have about preparing your body and mind for life on the road?

    —

    DARREN ALFF conducted his first long-distance bicycle tour in 2001 at the age of 17. He’s been traveling by bike ever since and just recently returned from a 9-month tour of central and eastern Europe. Darren now runs the website at www.BicycleTouringPro.com and is working to inspire a new generation of bicycle travelers to get out and explore the world.

  • It was this article originally published in the NYTimes by TARA PARKER-POPE that finally led me to purchase my Five Fingers Vibram shoes.  I have included the article here as I sometimes can’t get to the NYTimes.  It is better to click through and read the article on their site as it has all the related articles, pix, and comments.

  • I have no idea if this will work, or does work, but if it does, it could make my life this summer a great deal easier on the TransAm Trail.

    TrackMyTour keeps your friends and family updated on the progress of your bike tour, hike, sailing trip, road trip, vacation, or any other tour. See a sample map, read the tutorial, or just download the app and give it a try.

  • This just in for those doing the AdventureCycling TransAm route.

    Located beside the Beaverhead river at the edge of Twin Bridges, this campground appears to be the ideal base of exploration for the many exciting natural treasures in southwestern Montana.  They offer a bicycle friendly campground that is just what you’ve been looking for after a day of cycling through the pristine valleys and mountains of this beautiful country, for location see their map.

    http://www.cyclecamp-twinbridges.com/

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